Aeration of liquid media is desirable in a variety of applications. Water aeration may be required in water bodies that suffer from anoxic conditions caused by various human activities. Natural water bodies such as lakes, lagoons or ponds may be aerated through the infusion of air into the bottom of the water body or by surface agitation using a fountain or other spray-like device. One goal of water aeration in such applications may be to increase the oxygen content of the water and enhance water quality, enhancing the life of fish and other aquatic life.
In some applications, it may be desirable to treat sewage by aeration of wastewater in a sewage treatment tank. A sewage treatment tank of a conventional sewage treatment system may include a cylindrical outer mixing tank and an inverted funnel-shaped clarifier inside the mixing tank. Raw, unsettled wastewater and solid waste from a residence or business initially enters an aeration chamber in the outer mixing tank, where simple hydraulic displacement is accomplished by introduction of air that promotes growth of aerobic organisms in much larger colonies than would occur naturally in the aeration chamber. The aerobic organisms also break down organic solids in the wastewater, producing inorganic and stable organic solids. Ultimately, the aerated wastewater may be of sufficient quality that the wastewater can be discharged to a lake, river, pond or other natural water body.
A submersible aeration pump which disperses air into a liquid medium via centrifugal force and is amenable to wastewater treatment and other applications is needed.